Modesto and Yuba City receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Modesto
Yuba City
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 10%
vs36 · Bottom 13%
Growth
51 · Top 49%
vs65 · Top 26%
Climate
77 · Top 15%
vs71 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 11%
vs18 · Bottom 8%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 8%
vs68 · Bottom 14%
Access
89 · Top 40%
vs85 · Top 48%
Economic stability
66 · Top 40%
vs60 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Modesto | Yuba City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 553,990 | 183,364 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,468 | $78,179 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,849 | $35,405 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 370/sq mi | 149/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $450,100 | $424,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,623 | $1,386 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.2% | 62.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 7.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 19.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,495 | 854 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 82.5% | 12.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.3" | 20.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 31.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 35.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Modesto
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Yuba City
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, wildfire.
Full profiles: Modesto, CA Metro Area · Yuba City, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology